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[*] 722. I. The pure optative in a wish (with no introductory particle) is an independent verb. E.g. Ὑμῖν μὲν θεοὶ δοῖεν Ὀλύμπια δώματ᾽ ἔχοντες ἐκπέρσαι Πριάμοιο πόλιν εὖ δ᾽ οἴκαδ᾽ ἱκέσθαι, may the Gods grant you to destroy Priam's city, etc. Il. i. 18. Μὴ μὰν ἀσπουδί γε καὶ ἀκλειῶς ἀπολοίμην, may I not perish, etc. Il. xxii. 304. Μηκέτ᾽ ἔπειτ᾽ Ὀδυσῆι κάρη ὤμοισιν ἐπείη, μηδ᾽ ἔτι Τηλεμάχοιο πατὴρ κεκλημένος εἴην, then may the head of Ulysses no longer stand on his shoulders, and no longer may I be called the father of Telemachus. Il. ii. 259. Τεθναίην ὅτε μοι μηκέτι ταῦτα μέλοι, “may I die when these are no longer my care.” MIMN. i. 2. Τὸ μὲν νῦν ταῦτα πρήσσοις τάπερ ἐν χερσὶ ἔχεις, “may you for the present continue to do what you now have in hand.” HDT. vii. 5. “Ὦ παῖ, γένοιο πατρὸς εὐτυχέστερος” SOPH. Aj. 550. “Οὕτω νικήσαιμί τ᾽ ἐγὼ καὶ νομιζοίμην σοφός,” “on this condition may I gain the prize (in this contest) and be (always) considered wise.” AR. Nub. 520. “Θήσω πρυτανεῖ᾽, ἢ μηκέτι ζῴην ἐγώ,” “or may I no longer live.” Ib. 1255. Ξυνενέγκοι μὲν ταῦτα ὡς βουλόμεθα, “may this prosper as we desire.” THUC. vi. 20. Ἀλλὰ βουληθείης, “but may you only be willing!” PLAT. Euthyd. 296 D. “Πλούσιον δὲ νομίζοιμι τὸν σοφόν.” Id. Phaedr. 279 C. Νικῴη δ᾽ ὅ τι πᾶσιν ὑμῖν μέλλει συνοίσειν, “and may that opinion prevail which is to benefit you all.” DEM. iv. 51. Ὅ τι δ᾽ ὑμῖν δόξειε, τοῦτ̓, ὦ πάντες θεοὶ, συνενέγκοι (see 561). Id. ix. 76.So εἶεν, well, be it so. For the relation of the optative in wishes to the optative in its most primitive meaning, see Appendix I.
Macmillan. London, Melbourne, Toronto. 1889. reprint edition:. St. Martin's Press. New York. 1965.
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